Projecting game apparatus



1936 2 Sheets--Shee'l'I l W. S. KARP PROJECTING GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25,

pr S, 1931,

April 13 193'7I W. s. KARP pg PROJECTING GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 195e z sheets-sheet `2 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2 claims.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, and the object of the present invention is to provide a device by'means of which various game plays may be made, and the result of each play projected upon a screen or wall, or

other suitable display surface, so that easy reading on a larger scale than the device itself permits may be made by a group of persons interested in the result.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device for this general purpose, with means for playing different games, at the option of the player.

A further object of the invention is the provil5 sion of a device of this character with means for spinning a transparent disc, carrying game data, so arranged that a light beam will pass through a peripheral portion of the disc, and the area directly in line with the light beam when the disc comes to rest will be projected upon a display screen or wall, or other surface, so that the showing of this area may be readily observed in suitable enlargement.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for spinning the glass disc, so that a play can be made by pressing an operating member and allowing it to spring back, so that a uniform speed of turning or spinning can be imparted to the disc.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specication, and fully illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the spinning member or disc.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, through the optical means for projecting the game result,

showing the revolving disc.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the gear and rack used for spinning the disc.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form, showing a ratchet tooth gear and spring pressed rack having ratchet teeth, to permit of release in one direction.

Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing a rubber covered operating bar and a rubber covered spinning pinion.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional viewthrough a modified form.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a shutter disc.

Referring to the drawings illustrating the practical embodiment of the invention 5 designates a 55 base of vertical support, and 6 the revolving transparent spinning disc, which may be constructed of glass or other suitable material.

This disc 6 is mounted on the shaft or spindle I,to turn in opposed bearings 8 and 9, and is equipped with a gear toothed pinion I0. This pinion is engaged by the operating slide I I, which works in the bearings I2 and I3, of the frame member or guide I4. The slide is formed with a longitudinal slot I5 through which the pinion gear I0 projects, and one side of this slide is formed with gear teeth IB, and the opposite side of the slide is formed smooth or without teeth. A pull spring I'I is connected at one end, as by the pin I8 to the slide, and at the other end to the frame member or guide I 4. One end of the slide is provided with a handle or knob I 9, so that it may be readily pressed, against the tension of the spring.

When the slide is pressed and then quickly released the action of the spring will cause the teeth I6 to engage the teeth of the pinion gear Ill, and produce a rapid spinning action on the latter. Normally the teeth I6 are located to one side of the pinion, as the slide is formed with clearances I6a and I6b on opposite ends of the row of gear teeth I6, so that the pinion will be permitted to spin when the slide is at either end of the limit of its travel.

The disc is formed or provided with a plurality of circular rows of game indicia. The outer row 20 may consist of a series of numbers, arranged in any suitable manner, preferably consecutively. The next inner row 2| may be provided with another series of numbers 22, arranged in any suitable manner either non-consecutive or otherwise.

Inwardly of the row 2| a row 24 containing Words, such as Advance, is arranged. Inwardly of this row is another row 25, containing numbers, preferably of low value. Inwardly of the row 25 is still another row 26, containing the names of horses or other animals or movable objects.

Adjacent to the peripheral edge of the disc a light tube 21 is arranged, which is provided with an index wire 28, arranged in radial relation to the disc. Within this light tube an electrical lamp 29 is arranged in a suitable socket 30, so that the light emitted from the lamp will be projected through the open end of the tube across the wire and through the transparent marginal edge of the spinning disc.

On the opposite side of the disc and in the same optical axis a lens tube 3| is arranged, in which a projecting or enlarging lens 32 is arranged. In this tube opposed guides 33 and 34 are provided, for the shutter 35, which is adapted to slide across the tube through side openings thereof, so that portions of the outer marginal area of the spinning disc may be obscured, so that any one of the rows may be alone displayed through the optical system, against a screen 36 or other display surface, as a Wall. This screen or display surface may be located in any suitable distance from the game apparatus, so that it may be viewed by a large number of persons.

In Fig. 4 I show a pinion gear 31 having ratchet teeth 38, which are engaged by the similar teeth 39 of the rack 40, which is mounted on the pins 4| and 42, and provided with small slots to allow a relative movement between the rack and the pins. This rack is pressed against the ratchet by means of the leaf spring 43, which engages the with a slot 46 the sides..ot--Whieh4 are smooth. When the slide is moved in one direction the pinion will be rotated and when the slide is moved in the other direction the rack will yield so that it will not resist the spinning of the disc or pinron.

In Fig. I show another modified form of the invention, consisting of a slide 41, which is equipped with a bar 48 of yielding rubber, which frictionally engages the rubber covered pinion wheel 50. The bar is relieved on each end thereof so that it will automatically disengage itself from contact with the pinion, when it reaches the end of either stroke thereof.

In each of these two last modified constructions, the slide is retracted by the action of the usual pull spring.

Various games may be played with the same spinning disc, and due to the fact that a full operating stroke must be imparted to the slide, and the spinning action is generated by the return stroke of the manually released slide, the spinning action is substantially the same each time, so that equal playing action is insured.

In Figs. 6 and '1 I show a modified form of the invention, wherein a base 5| is provided, on which the uprights 52 and 53 are mounted. The upright 52 is provided with a bearing 52 and the upright 53 is provided with a bearing 53', through which the horizontal shaft 54 is extended. This shaft is provided with a hub or collar 55, to which the transparent disc 56 is fixed. 'I'he shaft 54 is also provided with a pulley 51 which is engaged by the belt 51', which runs over the pulley 59 of the electrical motor 58, the feed lines 60 of which are in circuit through the wire cable 6| ange 44 of the slide 45. 'I'he slide is formed y with the socket 66 of the lamp 68, which is provided with a shielding reflector 61. The socket 66 is slidingly mounted by the tube 65 in the light tube 64. A shutter disc 69 is mounted by the shaft on a bearing formed in the tube 64, supported by `upright a and this shutter disc is formed with a series of light openings, 69a, 69h, 69e, and 69d. The circuit through'the electrical motor and the lamp is controlled by means of the hand switch 63. A lens tube 1I is supported in axial relation to the light tube 64 and is equipped with an enlarging or projecting lens 13, and this lens means is supported by the upright 15 from the upright 53. The picture is projected upon a Wall surface or screen 14'.

The transparent disc 56 is provided with circular rows of different games and the shutter disc may be rotated so any one of these rows will be projected through one of the light openings of the shutter disc. The motor is started and then the current is cut off, so that the disc 56 will spin for a time and then come to a stop and the picture projected when the disc 56is at rest will determine the nal play of the player. 'Ihe indicia placed on the disc 56 will be similar or the same as that shown in Fig. 1.

Having described my invention I claim as new:-

1. A game apparatus comprising a housing, an axle mounted in said housing, a disk mounted on said axle for rotation, said disk provided with a series of concentric play areas, each play area containing various playvalues, a light chamber within said housing, a light source within said chamber, optical means for illuminating an area containing a play value on the disk and projecting an image of said play value, means for manually changing the illuminated area from one play area to another.

2. A game apparatus comprising a housing, an axle mounted in said housing, a disk mounted on said axle forrotation, said disk provided with a series of concentric play areas, each play area containing various play values, a light chamber within said housing, a light source Within said chamber, optical means for illuminating an area containing a play value on the disk and projecting an image of said play value, means for manually changing the illuminated area from one play area to another, and an indicator xedly positioned with respect to said housing, and aligned in the path of said light beam for indicating the play value when said disk is stationary.

WILLIAM S. KARP. 

